He was the first composer of African descent to publish music in the European tradition, publishing his works anonymously but noting on the first page they were “Composed by an African”. His intelligence, warmth and sincerity meant he was encouraged to read, something which gave the young Sancho a somewhat informal education. He is the only Briton of African heritage known to have been eligible and voted in an 18th-century general election through property qualifications. Sancho wrote a large volume of letters, many of which contained criticism of 18th-century politics and society. Much of what is written about Sancho’s life is drawn from Joseph Jekyll’s 1782 biography, which accompanied a collection of Sancho's posthumously published letters. Ignatius Sancho (1729-1780) was an African author and composer who was born on a British slave ship in mid-Atlantic. Google's Doodle aims to honour Sancho - who was of African heritage - and draw attention to his work in the abolition of slavery, a "courageous fight in the name of freedom and equality.".

As a financially independent male homeowner, Sancho was also qualified to vote, and became the only Briton of African heritage known to have been eligible and voted in an 18th-century general election in 1774.

By the late 1760s, Sancho was considered by many to be a man of refinement. ... Having taught himself to read and write, Sancho utilized his employers' extensive library to further his self-education.
Today's Google Doodle was created by UK-based artist Kingsley Nebechi, who said focusing on Sancho provided "a great chance to explore a really crucial part of Black history.

Though this origin story is often r… But Sancho made it clear that he had noble English connections, dedicating his works to his aristocratic friends on numerous occasions. Nebechi hopes the Doodle can spark "curiosity" in people so they can research Ignatius and other essential Black figures in history.

Sancho's influence continued to be felt after his death, and when a collection of his letters was published posthumously, Sancho's words garnered huge readership and brought widespread attention to the abolitionist cause. Celebrating Ignatius Sancho. According to Jekyll’s biography, Sancho was born in around 1729 on a slave ship en route from Guinea to the Spanish West Indies. During his life, Sancho published four books of songs and lively dance music, his most well known being a collection titled.


By Alex Nelson.

Google is celebrating composer Ignatius Sancho today - here's why. – 14 December 1780) was a British composer, actor, and writer. Sancho died from the effects of gout in December 1780 and was buried in the churchyard of St Margaret's, Westminster, where there remains no memorial. It is at this location that Ignatius Sancho became a good friend and neighbour to of Ottobah Cugoano, another Abolitionist and … After his correspondence between himself and Laurence Sterne - in which Sancho urged famous writer to to lobby for the abolition of the slave trade at the height of the debate - was published, he became known as a man of letters. Today's Google Doodle celebrates Ignatius Sancho, a British composer, actor and writer who became a symbol of hope in the battle against the immorality of the slave trade through his celebrated letters. But an early glimmer of hope came when Sancho was just two years old - his owner took the young orphan to England where he was given to three unmarried sisters in Greenwich.

There, his horizons were broadened even further, as Sancho immersed himself in music, poetry, reading, and writing. Google is celebrating composer Ignatius Sancho today - here's why. Academics have theorised Sancho may have included this information in an effort to make the music appear more ‘exotic’, and therefore increase sales. With learning came a frustration at his lack of freedom, and Sancho escaped and fled, finding employment as a butler for an aristocratic family.

This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). There, his horizons were broadened even further, as Sancho immersed himself in music, poetry, reading, and writing. ", "I wanted my artwork to pay homage to his contributions and become a tool to re-introduce his great work to a new generation.". As October begins, so too does the UK’s Black History Month. Google is celebrating the life of British author, musician and abolitionist Ignatius Sancho with a doodle in honour of Black History Month. By the late 1760s, Sancho was considered by many to be a man of refinement. Sancho escaped at age 20, taught himself to read and eventually became a shopkeeper, composer of dances and songs, author of "A Theory of Music" and a prolific correspondent.

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During a bout of gout in 1774, Sancho opened a greengrocery in London's Mayfair with his wife, Anne Osborne. By 1773, Sancho was married and with his wife, the storefront became a meeting place for some of the most famous writers, artists, actors and politicians of the day. This is the age women should begin breast cancer screenings - and where to go for a scan, These are 10 of the most valuable children’s books you could have at home - worth up to £75,000. Born on a slave ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean around 1729, his mother died not long after childbirth, and his father reportedly took his own life rather than live as a slave. "It’s hard to know where you are headed if you don’t know where you’re from," he says. He was soon orphaned, and grew up as a house slave in England. In recent years, however, scholars such as Brycchan Carey have questioned the reliability of this biography. A more sedate lifestyle followed, one that allowed more time to socialise and write; during this time he wrote and published collections of his musical compositions and multiple plays. Minuets, Cotillons & Country Dances. His eloquent calls for slavery's abolition were published in newspapers, exposing many readers to writing by a black person for the first time. Thursday, 1st October 2020, 10:30 am ... as Sancho immersed himself in … Sancho utilized his employers’ extensive library to not only teach himself to read and write, but this served to further his self-education. Charles Ignatius Sancho (c. 1729? Ignatius Sancho was an African composer and author who grew up as a house slave in England.We do not know how Sancho left domestic servitude but according to historians by the time he was an adult he was an emancipated employee of the Duke and Duchess of Montagu. By Alex Nelson. Sancho's was fraught with extraordinary hardship from the get-go.

He was the first person of African descent known to be given an obituary in the British press.